After meeting the Divine Maiden, Geom Mugeuk returned to the Murim Alliance camp.
All the way back, he thought over what she had said.
What did she mean by saying he had already repaid everything, so there was no need to be grateful?
It sounded as though his connection with her extended all the way to his original world.
Then, suddenly, someone came to mind. A person who, like her, had given off a truly mysterious feeling.
But he could not be certain it was that person on that basis alone.
Fine. I’ll confirm it later.
What he had to focus on now was the prophecy that had been given to him.
Darkness will lead you to Heaven’s Will.
What exactly did darkness mean? And what was the Heaven’s Will spoken of in the prophecy?
Everything was uncertain, but he had one definite premonition.
He had to discover the meaning of the prophecy before the duel between the Palace Lord of Heaven’s Will and the Martial Sovereign Divine Sword took place.
Because he did not think the mysterious chest would leave him here even after that fight ended. Just as it had sucked him in without warning, there was no telling when it might suddenly fling him back out.
‘I don’t have much time.’
By the time he returned to the Murim Alliance tents, dawn was just breaking.
Though it was early, squad leader Jeong Dae was awake.
“Where have you been?”
He asked with a worried face. Of course, it would be strange to him that Geom Mugeuk vanished like a ghost and then reappeared like this, but in any case, Geom Mugeuk was his lifesaver.
“I went out for some air.”
“Jo Ung is watching you. At times like this, you keep your head down.”
“Yes, I’ll be careful.”
“Have you eaten?”
“I’m fine.”
“Here, eat this. It’s gone a little cold, but it should still be decent.”
He handed over some meat he had saved. As the war dragged on, meat had become truly hard to taste. Yet he had specially set some aside for him.
When Geom Mugeuk accepted the meat and smiled brightly, Jeong Dae said in disbelief. It was the first time he had seen him smile so brightly.
“You like it that much?”
“Isn’t the person who buys you meat the best person in the world?”
He had not smiled so brightly because of the meat. He felt good because of Jeong Dae’s kindness.
The thought that even three hundred years ago, good people like this had been living in the murim. If it had all been nothing but the swordplay of the law of the jungle, then perhaps the murim would never have lasted until his own era.
“Squad Leader, what will you do once this war is over?”
“This time, I’m definitely getting married. It’s my old mother’s wish.”
“Do you have a future sister-in-law?”
Jeong Dae nodded.
“Hard to believe with this face, but I do.”
He sighed and added,
“She’s too kind for her own good. She waited for me until she’s reached an age where she can’t wait any longer.”
Yes, this war needed to end even a day sooner for reasons like this. Not because of conspiracies being plotted behind the scenes.
“If I hold the wedding, I’ll invite you too.”
Geom Mugeuk smiled without a word. If he truly could go, he wanted to go no matter what.
‘The Young Cult Master of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult has arrived!’ At that shout, the groom, the bride, and all the guests would faint from shock.
“You’re not coming, are you?”
“I’ll congratulate you even from afar.”
It truly would be from far away, though.
Jeong Dae stared at Geom Mugeuk as he happily tore into the meat, then shook his head.
“You’re definitely a strange bastard.”
* * *
Geom Mugeuk went out on patrol with the squad members.
When he thought of the prophecy, his heart grew urgent.
Is this really the time to be leisurely going on patrol?
The thought came to him unbidden, but Geom Mugeuk silently did the work given to him.
He had experienced it many times in his life before the regression. Spending all day agonizing over something in order to obtain an answer did not mean that answer would appear.
Rather, the thought that he had spent so much time and still failed to find an answer only made him more anxious, and the results became even worse.
At times like this, living one’s daily life more diligently was actually helpful. Sometimes, an answer was not obtained by digging deeply in one place, but was hanging there like a shoe tossed onto a branch glimpsed by chance.
Of course, he did not find that shoe today.
During the patrol, he learned nothing about the prophecy, but there was not no gain at all.
Because by deliberately asking Jeong Dae about this and that, he confirmed where Baegyang Peak was.
After finishing the patrol and returning to eat, cheers rose from the other side.
When he looked over, the Martial Sovereign Divine Sword was inspecting the warriors. He still enjoyed absolute support from the warriors of the Murim Alliance.
When the Martial Sovereign Divine Sword had first arrived here, he had asked the names of each person before him and greeted them. Judging by what he had shown, he was an alliance leader who respected and cherished his subordinates.
Before long, the Martial Sovereign Divine Sword passed by Geom Mugeuk and the squad members lined up before their meal tables.
“You were eating? Go on and eat comfortably.”
He greeted them like that and was passing by when a vigorous voice rang out from behind him.
“If you haven’t eaten, why not join us?”
Of course, the owner of the voice was Geom Mugeuk.
The squad members’ eyes went wide as they stared at Geom Mugeuk.
Their gazes were truly exactly like this. Even if he was their lifesaver, they said this.
Is this bastard insane?
The Martial Sovereign Divine Sword turned his head and looked at Geom Mugeuk. He recognized him.
“You’re that young man from then, aren’t you?”
The young man who had asked him an insolent question on the first day. For some reason, he had been memorable, so he recognized him.
“You remember me. I will consider it an honor to my family.”
Among the several warriors standing behind the Martial Sovereign Divine Sword, Jo Ung openly frowned. He had gone to him personally and even warned him, yet Geom Mugeuk had stepped forward again.
Geom Mugeuk pretended not to see him. If he wanted to inform the alliance leader that Jo Ung had colluded with the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, he could have done so somehow, but he did not.
It was not because the place he had colluded with was the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
It was to avoid interfering with the major flow of events. Of course, there were things that had changed because he had come here, and even this moment would have some effect, but it would not influence the general trend.
“If I join you, you will be uncomfortable, will you not?”
“We will be fine.”
Of course, the squad members were screaming inwardly.
We are not fine!
There was a reason Geom Mugeuk had asked him to eat together. The alliance leader was passing right before his eyes; he could not simply let him pass. It was a reason separate from his effort to find clues to the prophecy.
“Very well.”
Whatever he was thinking, the Martial Sovereign Divine Sword sat down with them.
Before those following him could tell him not to, the Martial Sovereign Divine Sword sent them away to a distance. It was because he thought that otherwise, the warriors would not be able to eat comfortably.
From such behavior, Geom Mugeuk could feel that the alliance leader was a good person.
One could sit down as a performance, to show, “I am this easygoing.” But it was not easy to take care of such small details, like sending one’s subordinates away. Unless it was ingrained in one’s body, it was an easy thing to miss.
It was the same principle as the fact that it was easy for people to fake the big things, but rather difficult to fake the small ones.
“I will eat what you are eating.”
Jeong Dae hurriedly went and brought a meal for the Martial Sovereign Divine Sword. What on earth was this commotion?
“I don’t know if such humble side dishes will suit your noble palate.”
“It is fine.”
The Martial Sovereign Divine Sword had sat down purely because of Geom Mugeuk.
He was a strangely compelling young man. Those clear, deep eyes that did not suit his age were one thing. Asking the alliance leader to eat with him? That unexpectedness was another.
He wondered if perhaps he was a master of martial arts hiding his skill, but the internal energy he sensed amounted to only a few years.
If he were a master capable of deceiving his eyes, then he would have to be stronger than himself, and that could not be.
It was a moment when the fact that Geom Mugeuk had started with only a few years of internal energy proved useful.
And so the Martial Sovereign Divine Sword ate with White Tiger Seventeenth Squad.
As he watched him silently move his chopsticks, a thought suddenly came to Geom Mugeuk.
Perhaps he was feeling tense ahead of his decisive battle with the Palace Lord of Heaven’s Will. Tense enough to feel like eating a meal together with his subordinates like this.
“When I return to my hometown, I’ll boast to my friends that I ate with the Alliance Leader.”
Jinha, I may not have crossed blades with the most famous alliance leader in your Murim Alliance from a full three hundred years ago, but I did cross chopsticks with him.
Of course, it was a boast he could only make in his heart.
Like that, the Martial Sovereign Divine Sword finished his meal. He emptied his bowl cleanly.
After finishing his meal, before he stood up, the Martial Sovereign Divine Sword spoke to Geom Mugeuk seated beside him. He spoke in a low voice so the others could not hear well.
“You asked me before, did you not? Whether there was a way to defeat them.”
“Yes. At the time, Alliance Leader, you said this. That you did have a way, but could not speak of it where there were many people.”
Then the Martial Sovereign Divine Sword brought up something unexpected.
“There is no special method. We have no choice but to fight and win.”
Geom Mugeuk silently nodded.
“Why are you not surprised?”
It was surprising enough that the leader of the Murim Alliance would speak honestly to an ordinary warrior, but what he was saying was that he had lied. He had clearly expected a reaction more surprised than this.
“I thought that would be the case.”
“You thought that would be the case?”
“If there had been a way to win, Alliance Leader, you would have won already. I believe that, for whatever reason, you are not someone who would simply stand by and watch warriors die.”
“!”
“So please, win for our sake as well.”
A strange light passed through the Martial Sovereign Divine Sword’s eyes as he looked at Geom Mugeuk. Where could there be a warrior, and one this young, who could say such things to the leader of the Murim Alliance? And those words had certainly given him strength.
“I have one request.”
“What is it?”
The request was truly something he had never expected.
“When this war ends, our squad leader here is going back to his hometown to hold his wedding.”
What? Why are you bringing that up? When he was mentioned, Jeong Dae was greatly shocked inside. Why else would he have brought it up?
“Please deliver the congratulatory address at that wedding, Alliance Leader.”
A strangled cry burst from the utterly shocked Jeong Dae’s mouth.
“No, Alliance Leader. No!”
He even waved his hands in refusal, but Geom Mugeuk pretended not to notice and added,
“There were thirteen squad members, and now there are five. He has endured all that grief, steadfastly taking care of his squad members while holding the battlefield. I believe he is more than qualified to receive your congratulations, Alliance Leader.”
Jeong Dae belatedly rushed over and covered Geom Mugeuk’s mouth.
“This fellow must have gone mad in the middle of the war. I apologize, Alliance Leader.”
At that moment, the Martial Sovereign Divine Sword silently nodded and granted permission.
“Very well. I will deliver the congratulatory address.”
At his agreement, everyone was shocked. Jeong Dae in particular was on the verge of fainting.
Geom Mugeuk could tell from his eyes that he had spoken sincerely.
“Then finish your meal.”
The Martial Sovereign Divine Sword left the place.
Jeong Dae stood for a moment with a dazed face, recalling that instant. The leader of the Murim Alliance would deliver the congratulatory address at his wedding? Just imagining it made him happy. His old mother would boast about it to everyone she met.
“I did well, didn’t I?”
When Geom Mugeuk asked casually, Jeong Dae shouted, though he was pleased for no reason.
“You really are a mad bastard!”
Three hundred years in the past, he was being called a mad bastard by Jeong Dae. That also meant he was doing well in a way true to himself.
Geom Mugeuk smiled and said to him,
“I should repay someone who saved meat for me at least this much.”
* * *
Geom Mugeuk had taken care of Jeong Dae’s wedding, but he still had not found a clue to the prophecy.
That night.
Geom Mugeuk climbed Baegyang Peak.
Since it was the site of the duel, someone might be guarding it. For that reason, Geom Mugeuk was careful, and then careful again, as he climbed.
Separate from the fact that he could not use the Nine Hells Demonic Art because he lacked internal energy, Geom Mugeuk’s senses remained as they were.
Using those senses, he moved cautiously. Fortunately, he met no one along the way.
He encountered no one all the way to the summit of Baegyang Peak. Well, they could hardly send people carelessly to a place designated as the site of the duel. If the other side found out, they would be mired in rumors of having used underhanded methods before even fighting.
Once he reached the top, he understood why Baegyang Peak had been chosen.
The summit had enough open space for two absolute masters to display a splendid battle. There were trees and rocks, and it had elegance as well.
Geom Mugeuk looked around under the bright moonlight.
Could this place be connected to the prophecy?
But he could find nothing strange. The moon was especially brilliant today, making it even farther removed from darkness.
‘Mysterious chest, where am I supposed to find the clue to the prophecy?’
Just then, he sensed a presence far behind him.
In that instant, Geom Mugeuk vanished. He disappeared into the Spacetime Transposition Art in the blink of an eye.
Because he had reacted so quickly, the other party did not realize that Geom Mugeuk had been standing there.
From within the darkness of the Spacetime Transposition Art, where only a single person could stand, Geom Mugeuk watched the person walking toward that place.
A moment later, a man arrived.
He was a young man wearing a black long robe embroidered with ornate patterns, someone Geom Mugeuk was seeing for the first time since arriving here.
Despite his youth, the aura he revealed was anything but ordinary. It was not the aura of the orthodox faction, but it was also different from Wi Mucheon’s, and different from the Palace Lord of Guardians’ as well.
‘Who is he?’
The man’s eyes, filled with moonlight, shone intensely. They were eyes in which a burning desire could be felt.
How long had he stood there alone like that?
Another person appeared at that place.
Amazingly, the second person to arrive was someone Geom Mugeuk had seen before. It was none other than the masked man of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult who had secretly met with Jo Ung, now revealing himself here.
The man’s identity was revealed from the masked man’s mouth.
“Lord of the Dark Palace.”
The moment he heard those words, Geom Mugeuk knew who the man was. He was the palace lord of the Dark Palace, the last of the Three Divine Palaces of Heaven’s Will Palace.
He did not know why this man was meeting a demonic practitioner of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult here, but he knew one thing.
The prophecy the Divine Maiden had told him rose in Geom Mugeuk’s mind.
Darkness will lead you to Heaven’s Will.
He knew instinctively. That darkness referred precisely to the last palace lord of Heaven’s Will Palace, the Lord of the Dark Palace.
‘This man is the one who will guide me to Heaven’s Will.’